Amakhosi Revolution

Kaizer Chiefs must regain its soul and character next season.

That's the message club boss Kaizer Motaung has conveyed to coach Steve Komphela.

In a frank assessment of a pedestrian, barren and well-below-expectation season endured by Amakhosi, Motaung didn't mince his words.

"We lacked soul, we didn't play our game, especially in the second half of the league.

"It was not in our character the way we played. It was just not Kaizer Chiefs," Motaung told the Sunday Times.

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"The coach [Steve Komphela] knows that, he knows there has to be a change. He has committed to ensuring that things will be different.

"Any other team would have been happy to say we made two finals [MTN8 and Telkom Knockout]. Not here.

"It was a bitterly disappointing season for our supporters, not one to remember in terms of our standard," he said.

#SteveMustFall

Amakhosi faithful were less enamoured with Komphela's stewardship in his maiden season.

The #SteveMustFall became all the rage with every below par performance as the league campaign progressed.

"I can't speak for him, but he tried his best to deal with the club. He came to fill very big shoes [replacing Stuart Baxter, who won four trophies].

"He tried to introduce his own kind of philosophy and change the style of play to make it the way he wanted," said the Chiefs chairman.

But the team that won two league titles and a Nedbank and MTN8 trophies in Baxter's three-year tenure capitulated in 2015-16, finishing in fifth place without winning any silverware.

Motaung sounded sympathetic towards Komphela and appeared to be questioning the resolve of the players.

"It must also be taken into cognisance that probably some of the changes he made, he didn't have the kind of resources in terms of the players to deliver what we wanted."

Players lost appetite

"I don't know, some of the players lost appetite, they were not as hungry as before.

"A team with a bite and hunger goes an extra mile. This time, the guys were a bit relaxed.

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"The telling blow happened in the second round when we were supposed to be gunning for the league.

"But we didn't have the strength, so we stumbled, lost momentum and the rest is history.

"One hopes the coach got some lessons along the way. You cannot simply judge him by one season."

But the winds of change are blowing at the club - in an unprecedented massive spring cleaning, Chiefs showed the door to 20 players on Wednesday.

Team needs cleaning up

"We looked at the past two or three seasons and decided the team needs cleaning and beefing up," said Motaung.

"The crux of the matter is that when you look at the team, we are lacking and very poor upfront.

"In defence, we conceded goals that were very uncharacteristic for us to concede.

"We gave away too many unnecessary points.

"Hence we embarked on that process to make sure we use the period to reinforce so we can look forward with much more purpose.

"I am sorry we could not deliver any silverware for the supporters. But we will bounce back, that is what our character demands.

"We hope the next season will be different. We have to strengthen the defence and attack, no doubt. Whatever acquisitions we make, the coach will have made a contribution as well."

Komphela is working round the clock behind the scenes to bolster the squad.

Wooing Mashamaite

The Sunday Times understands that Komphela has met Tefu Mashamaite for talks aimed at bringing the former club captain back to the club to fortify a rearguard

A rock in the Chiefs defence in the 2014-15 season in which he won Premier Soccer League Footballer and Player's Player of the season, Mashamaite left Chiefs when contract renewal negotiations collapsed.

After a failed trial with Major League Soccer side New York City, Mashamaite landed a contract with BK Hacken in Sweden.

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He signed a two-and-a-half-year deal. BK Haken won the Sweden Cup final in May.

Mashamaite, 31, played no part owing to a thigh muscle rupture he suffered in the semifinal.

But Chiefs will not have it easy in their bid to woo Mashamaite.

SuperSport United, now coached by ex-Chiefs coach Baxter, are big admirers of the former Bidvest Wits skipper.

Yesterday, Baxter told the Sunday Times: "I would definitely be interested in Masha were he to become available.

"In principle, I am always interested in Masha. I spoke to him a while ago, checking up on his injury

"A player like Masha has got a good basic education in how to defend intelligently.

"He is top quality by South African standards. Everybody is trying to strengthen."

Baxter has already brought Reyaad Pieterse, Reneilwe Letsholonyane and Keagan Ritchie to SuperSport from Chiefs, while Sibusiso Khumalo has gone the opposite direction.

Chiefs are also understood to have renewed their interest in Bafana Bafana international Sibusiso Vilakazi.

The latest bid to bring the Bidvest Wits forward to Naturena Village is believed to involve money and two players going to Gavin Hunt's side.

Motaung would not comment on the players they are chasing.

The number of Chiefs youth development graduates who have been released from their contracts may be a silent admission by the club that its development structures has not delivered the desired quality.

sub_head_start Exodus sub_head_end

Contract not renewed:

Reyaad Pieterse

Reneilwe Letsholonyane

Morgan Gould

Siboniso Gaxa

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On transfer:

Bongani Ndulula

Siphelele Mthembu

Edward Manqele

Ivan Bukenya

Sula Matovu

Siyanda Xulu

Released from contract:

Chris Matombo

Ovidy Karuru

Simphiwe Mtsweni

Shandukani Mulovhedzi

Zitha Macheke

Levy Mokgothu

Philani Cele

bbk@sundaytimes.co.za